Within the framework of working visit in the cities Turkestan and Shymkent from 3 to 4 June of this year, the Chairman of the Board of N. Nazarbayev Center for the Development of Interfaith and Inter-civilization Dialogue Bulat Sarsenbayev conducted a number of meetings with the Deputy Akim for Social Issues of the Turkestan Region S. Kalkamanov, the leadership of the Departments for Religious Affairs of Shymkent A. Tuyakbayev and Turkestan region K. Abuov, rector of the International Kazakh-Turkish University named after Khoja Akhmet Yassawi Zh. Temirbekova.At the meetings unanimously was noted the dynamism of the economic and tourist modernization of the regions in a short period, the contribution of the First President of Kazakhstan – Elbasy N. Nazarbayev to the unique revival of Turkestan on the basis of Turkic and modern architecture.
The Chairman of the Board of N. Nazarbayev Center B. Sarsenbayev emphasized that, preserving national traditions and culture, Turkestan and Shymkent with a long history are cities that contribute to the consolidation of a multi-ethnic and multi-confessional society in Kazakhstan.
«In this regard, our further close interaction within the framework of the upcoming XIX meeting of the Secretariat of the Congress this year and the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in 2022 will become a leitmotif in promoting the international initiatives of Elbasy N.Nazarbayev and Head of State K. Tokayev in the search for significant decisions to establish peace and harmony», - said the Head of the Center.
In turn, the interlocutors paid special attention to the growing role of interreligious and interfaith relations in the international arena, which determines the importance of exchange of experience within the framework of a global dialogue platform – the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in the field of interreligious tolerance and unity, thereby assessing the significant contribution of N.Nazarbayev Center in promoting an effective model of peace and harmony between confessions.
Thus, the leadership of the Departments for Religious Affairs of Shymkent and the Turkestan region supported the issues of mutual cooperation in the areas of a comprehensive study and analysis of the processes taking place in the regions in the implementation of state policy in interfaith relations, the organization of information and explanatory events to strengthen interreligious harmony.
Taking into account the mutual interest in the development of spiritual, moral and civic values, the implementation of joint research and educational activities in the field of religious studies, the Chairman of the Board of N. Nazarbayev Center B. Sarsenbayev also signed a memorandum of cooperation with the International Kazakh-Turkish University named after Khoja Akhmet Yassawi.
The N. Nazarbayev Center and the university agreed to implement information and image projects to promote the tasks of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, as well as to hold joint international events with the participation of representatives of the Turkic world in Turkestan.
In addition, the parties reached an agreement on the organization of professional practice in the Center for students and undergraduates of the university in the specialties of «Religious studies» and «Theology». In particular, in order to support the volunteer movement in Kazakhstan, to develop students' linguistic, translation and organizational skills in holding joint events, the Head of the Center expressed his readiness to accept students fluent in foreign languages on the basis of the organization.
Following the meetings in Turkestan and Shymkent, the participants noted the need for further interaction in promoting the ideas of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions among the population of the regions, as well as the willingness to cooperate in preparation for the upcoming meeting of the Secretariat of the Congress and other planned international events of the Center.
